MY WITCH 31:Escape from Cavigor
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: Caleb learns that Elyon's parents, the Browns, are being held in the forbidding underground prison at Cavigor.
1. Chapter 1

"Without Elyon at full strength, draining her is near enough, _useless_ to me." Prince Phobos' calm voice cooed, and it must have been the first time in weeks, that he'd been nonchalantly uncaring to the world around him. It was harder, not to have connections, when feelings and the likes came into things. Elyon's feelings; of course. But the petulantly giddy child had apparently reached the years that Phobos had never seemed able to bypass fully, and brooding, Cedric had noted, had become her newest fetish. She held more stealth than Miranda, though she never dared sneak up on the prince. It was libidinous, and risqué, how Elyon would stared anyone down, and Cedric was only more influenced, by the ideal that as much as he hated her brother.. Cedric was sure that Elyon would follow the man's footsteps, and finally, she would ask for her empowering nature to be taken. And Lord Cedric had always been the gentleman to oblige her eccentrically zombified nature.. Not that she was zombified yet, but if her sullen stature continued, there would be no more an appropriate way to describe her. She could not function, without her prince, and her prince would be the one to take her functioning away. A sad story that no one deserved, but Cedric knew he could go one better. Cedric would go one better.

"She worries." Elyon worried a lot. The scent of it was foreboding, and the only true betrayer of her silence, because Lord Cedric had learned the scent like his own, and he could easily sense her coming. She _was _coming, and perhaps if Prince Phobos were to step down from his false coddling of a royal throne, he might be able to learn a few of Lord Cedric's tricks. Once, Cedric might've even given them willingly. "Worry keeps her weak."

Three knocks, and Phobos cracked his neck and sat straighter as Elyon opened the door. Lord Cedric smirked. He'd known she was coming, and Prince Phobos hadn't. But all Elyon would care was that her pretty prince was smiling when she came in. "I was thinking of doing some sketching.. Wanna come?"

"With the coronation approaching; we only have a few months, and I have a lot to attend to Elyon." Cedric's smirk returned, as Elyon passed to the prince; because he'd seen her see him sneer. But she'd ignored it, as the prince in startling light blue, slipped the sketchbook from her eagerly ignorant hands; eating up the lies Phobos spoke through clenched teeth. "Oh, you're very talented.. Elyon, I've told you."

"I want to see them.." The apologetic voice, and the prince's sigh as he bent to peck her cheek.. Lord Cedric bowed his head as a servant should, while Elyon again brought up her parents.. It had been months and Cedric knew that Prince Phobos had thought them safe of the subject. But Elyon was choosing to ignore things. It didn't mean she wasn't noticing them. "I know you were pretty upset.."

Elyon's eyes reached out for Cedric, and he obliged her by raising his head; she hadn't forgotten then, who'd saved her and who'd been waiting in his throne room. "Only because of how they treated _you_. If you forgive them, I have too."

"They're at some distance," Lord Cedric bowed his head again, as Prince Phobos stroked his thumb over Elyon's peachy cheek. She'd stopped blushing, when he touched her, and Lord Cedric knew that where he felt silk, Prince Phobos felt every goosebump as a pimple on her skin. "But for you, puer sus, I will have them escorted here."

Even Phobos grinned as she hugged him. He'd told Cedric puer sus, and there really _was_ a humour in him calling her _'pig-child'_ and her thanking him.

**...**

"C'mon baby! Make me proud.. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... STRIKE! WHOO! HAHA!" Cornelia jumped up, and grinned as she bowed theatrically, having hit the ten pin, and Will smiled feebly. Apparently Caleb's return had been more of a power-up, than Will's news on Elyon had been a drainer.. Either that, or Cornelia was in denial as she smiled, "It's all in the shoes!"

"Guys, why are we bowling? We know Phobos' plans for Elyon!"

Will watched Cornelia's smile droop a little, and turned to Cornelia with a masked frown, "Well, the attack date's set; what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Just stand around?"

"Hey," Will smiled as Hay Lin jumped up to grab her ball, and Taranee smirked at the new pins, pointing as she spoke, "Pretend the bowling pins are Phobos!"

"YEAH! YES!" Will's grin faltered, then grew wide with confusion, as Hay Lin began what appeared to be a celebratory dance as her ball rolled down the left gutter.

"Uh, Hay Lin.." Will cringed as everyone smirked knowingly, but continued to raise her hand meekly, "You, _do_ realize that the object of the game is to, uh, _hit_ them.. Right?"

"Anyone can hit the pins!" Will felt her mouth fall open and her eyebrows raise to her forehead, as Hay Lin waved her remark off, "There's like, _ten_ of them. How many people can miss 'em?"

Irma grinned at Will's obviously comically exasperated expression, and shrugged. "She's a rebel."

But Will hadn't heard what Irma said, as Caleb strode between bodies toward her, and she could only meekly hear Taranee's _'speaking of which..'_ as Caleb knelt in front of her to her height. "It's Thomas and Eleanor Brown. Elyon's parents, I've found out where they're being held-"

"YES!" Will followed Caleb's gaze to Irma, who'd jumped up and was currently punching the air with enthusiasm, "Now we can go kick some evil' butt right?"

"Let's dump these ugly shoes and motor!" Taranee pulled at the laces of her bowling trainers, and grinned almost as happily. But Caleb only turned back to her, and she had a trouble with focusing on him; his face not three inches from hers.

"They're in Cavigor Prison. It's impenetrable; completely underground.." Will followed, as Caleb's eyes flashed to Cornelia, "We can _dig up _from the Infinite City. It's the only way, and it's risky.."

"Right," Will nodded, she remembered from the drills, "They figure out to dig _down _and the rebellion is lost. Got it."


	2. Chapter 2

"That is too cuuuute! It's an ice-cream cup!" Irma grinned, as Hay Lin inspected the tub, and Caleb appeared to become more and more mortified by the girl. And aggravated. Caleb had scrapped cups and paper into shapes, and she wondered if Will was pretending, or if she actually cared as much as she looked like she did.

"Cavigor was designed under one principle. Easy to get in; impossible to get out." Irma yawned, as Will considered his words with a frown. She really _was _listening. Crazy-head. "Even the guards can't leave; there's a thirty foot drop from the entrance. They bring a rope ladder for changes. Here's what the cells look like."

Irma snorted, as Caleb brought out another model, and Hay Lin automatically reached for a tube of toilet paper on it, "HEY! Toilet paper tubes... Oops.."

Hay Lin pushed it back, as Will frowned at her, and Caleb sighed heavily in impatience. "Once we have the Browns, Will can open a portal to get them out - we leave through that, and everyone will think that that's how we got in."

"Okay.." Irma frowned, as Caleb looked expectantly to Will; so they could collaborate massive _'good-against-evil'_ missions together, but they were too shy to.. Date? The world was full of too many idiots, and at least Irma could see what was staring her in the face. Blunk, apparently, but he only stared with guilt, as she caught him sneaking to Hay Lin's noodles."So we might not recognize the Browns in their.. Meridian form.. But we should definitely take something they've worn, and uh, take Mr. Bloodhound over there."

**...**

The guard sneered, as he walked in, but Alborn had stepped between the opening door of the cell and his wife, before the guard came in with a tray of food. "Your dinner, traitors."

"Giatí." Why. It was a simple question, but the guard only shrugged; mumbling something about friends in high places, before the cell slammed closed once more.

"We need our strength." Miriadel had always been the voice of reason, and had never once let her affections to Elyon hinder responsibility. Alborn had never truly been able to see the princess as his own, and hid the shame of blaming her for his losses. Miriadel had never seen need for a child, not when they so clearly already had one. But unlike Miriadel, Alborn had been into the castle, and for every likeness that Elyon had to the queen.. Alborn only saw Phobos. But he ate now, for his wife who needed her baby. And he wished he could share the devotion.

**...**

Her hands were still shaking, after nearly a year of this, and Caleb smiled reassuringly as he fastened a watch to the wrist of Taranee; who looked more than a little nervous as Will checked her own. Taranee muttered something of thanks, and Caleb looked at her, wondering how she'd avoided him for so long. Then again, he'd been evasive of everyone in the rebellion for three years, spending up to 24hours a day with them. "We'll meet you here in four hours."

"Don't go down into the prison if you can avoid it." Caleb smirked, as Will reworded exactly what he'd told her earlier. If he couldn't get the others to listen, at least Will seemed to be stressing the most important parts back on them. And maybe it was a better idea than he'd thought, to put Taranee on time check, because the girl was probably tied as second most powerful with Irma, and yet she always seemed to fall into the shade. If he'd had to pick now, he would have pointed to Taranee as the outlaw, but Will only seemed more fond of the girl for it. And Taranee spoke to the girls.. Just not him, and he didn't bother to take offense: they just didn't have much to say yet. She was still just as important, and Will spoke something in quiet tones to Taranee, before she smiled and took his and Cornelia's side. "They'll be fine."

"Will.." Caleb smirked, as Will's uneasy eyes wandered to his, and he laughed at the sudden worry that had consumed her. It was a good plan, and he'd done most of the work, but he knew what she was thinking. She didn't want mistakes. She didn't was imperfections. Irma had told him that Will was worried he'd storm off again. "You're prettier when you're smiling."

He'd drawn an upward curve with his finger, and knew it had worked when she cocked an eyebrow, "Yeah, well you are too, but I don't try to stop you from sulking."

"Will.." Caleb grinned mischevously, as Will frowned at him testily. "I'm glad you think I'm pretty."

And he won, as she grinned and slapped her own hand to her more sultry guardian lips. He'd only forgotten the one flaw of Cornelia scowling at him.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, well I always thought of Corny as the type to go all extremes: best friend to worst enemy in seconds sorta thing.. Plus it's funny this way ;)

* * *

><p>Caleb had pushed the door open, and Cornelia frowned as he smirked at Will. She'd seen the smirk a thousand times before, and raised her eyebrow when Will rolled playful eyes at him; stepping past to the Infinite City. She'd been wrong about Caleb, and his niceties.. He was hitting on Will! And Will didn't even know it! Cornelia scowled, walking into the City, as Caleb's eyes shamelessly followed Will and she swore he scaled her body before she <em>accidentally <em>pushed him. "Oh, ha, sorry!"

The smile fell when Caleb smiled at her, nodding as he asked her something about whether she was alright.. But he was already looking at Will before she could say anything and she found herself glowering. Will had thought he liked _Cornelia_, but Cornelia found herself anything but jealous. Caleb had to be sixteen soon, and he was here, leering ..at Will? _Will?_ "Okay, they should be right above the.. What?"

"Nothing."

"Seriously? You look like you've had too much eggnog at Christmas."

"I've.. What?"

"What's wrong with your face?"

"Gee, thanks, and here's me thinking you liked my face."

"Not when it's a happy face, I don't!"

Cornelia frowned, as Will and Caleb nit-picked one another, and she wanted to peel that 'egg-nog' smile off his face, as he grinned wryly at Will. Will was only fourteen! And Cornelia figured that maybe that was why he was taking his chances.. The bastard was probably horny and looking for a fix.. And little Will would be helpless - that was it, he knew he'd get to Will faster, and after so long he's suddenly flirting like a pro? Cornelia stepped between them and clasped her hand to Will's protectively, "Right above the prison, right?"

"Oh, right, yeah.." Cornelia found herself smirking at Caleb as his face fell from _'happy' _to serious, and Will pulled out the Heart, which led them to the right spot.

**...**

Prince Phobos watched, as his young sister closed her eyes; it was almost interesting, that she'd taken to doing such a trick.. She'd close her eyes and keep her features strict, and in front of her a flower would bloom. Fascinating, almost. "A pretty trick."

For once, he wasn't even lying to her. It _was _a pretty trick, after all. One he'd learned himself after too long; most of his first years as a ruler, he'd been captivated by watching blood and smoke and ashes. It had taken him a good five of them to realize that, his kingdom was dead, and the only way to prove that he had what he wanted, was for his castle to contrast. So his walls stood tall; black for his father - the roses matching for his mother. And flowers, flowers were plentiful. "Oh, hi!"

The moment was ruined by her voice; by her dull eyes looking up at him, and his slight smile became formal once more. He'd almost mistaken it for fondness, but it was _she _who had ruined the moment after all; it almost disappointed him, that she'd nearly fooled him with flowers. But her nasal tone and that underlying wishfulness was not quite hidden well enough. "Lord Cedric has been sent for the.. Browns."

"Great!" Phobos sighed, as Elyon took it upon herself to hug him from her sitting position; the intent to tell her of all the reasons she wasn't ever going to be fit to be Queen was an excruciating temptation, one he bore through with a smile. "Thank you! So much!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Ok-ay, we're directly under the prison."

"Cornelia, you can't push the rock up into the prison," Will frowned when the blonde rolled her eyes.. At Caleb? She opened her mouth to say something, but bit her tongue. He was ignoring her. That was it; he'd been ignoring Cornela all day, and Cornelia _clearly _didn't like it.. "You've got to lower them down, _quietly_."

"I'm blonde, not dense." The words had been bitten, and Will was left without words, as Caleb caught the retort, the pulled the blonde with a slight force, to face him, but Cornelia only pulled away.. _Defensively..?_ "Hey! Don't touch me!"

"Cornelia, would you-"

"EARTH!" Caleb sighed, when Cornelia flew up, and Will's tense shoulder's dropped. What the hell was going on? Didn't they have to be a couple to have a couple's spat.. But Will had basically been scarlet-cheeked, and she knew exactly why Cornelia was mad... _She _had been there, after all. A guilty accomplice, but Caleb was only trying to cheer her nerves.. And Will had been enjoying it.. Brown eyes crept to him, to find that Caleb's ever-powerful emeralds were on her, and she decided upon staring at the rocks, that Cornelia hovered and dropped silently in front of the rebel.. "Quiet enough for you?"

**...**

"They are going to love this!" Miranda pressed her palms flat against the linen, trying to banish every crease.. Her entire being ached; a soul she didn't know she carried ached. And she'd only come to help the little runt, because Elyon was the reason that Cedric would be gone. And she didn't intend to be alone when he returned; victorious or not. He'd seemed so.. _Happy_, when Caleb had been.. And she'd had the frivolity to enjoy herself - it hadn't been anyone's name but hers, and there'd been no need to play scared because he'd been feeding her a list of endless compliments that she didn't know he knew about her, and.. "Thanks for helping Miranda!"

"No problem!" Her insides were shaking and she felt queasy.. And she knew that she was going to have to go to Phobos later.. To ask him for another room.. And pray for a lock. She smiled sweetly, as Elyon fiddled with the flowers. These people had lied and betrayed her, and yet she could forgive them.. Or she was simply bored: sometimes Miranda thought she was becoming worse than Phobos.. Sometimes she remembered what he'd done and not what he did now though.. If Miranda was his attempt at atonement, Phobos was never going to ascend. "It's a long trip. They're gonna be tired when they get here.."

**...**

Taranee Cook had been left in charge, and she was hating Will more and more for it. She couldn't do what Caleb did, and certainly not what Will did - Will guessed, and Taranee had never bothered to think about it, but half of Will's decisions had _no _logic behind them.. And yet they seemed to work.. And Taranee watched the watch's every tick; if it broke, she'd probably cry at the least, as she recited every instruction in her head that she remembered.. They had got so far.. "We have to get the guards away from the cells. It's time to make some noise!"

"Oh Great, lifting rocks," Taranee frowned at the weight of the rocks as they dropped several into the prison, and tried to ignore Irma's strained sarcasm, "Who knew we'd ever need _two _'Cornelia's."

It took all of five minutes, before the alarm was sounded, and Taranee smiled with relief, as the guards started flooding to the top floor. But that wasn't enough, and she began throwing flashes of flames, "Sorry guys, you're gonna need more guards than that!"


	5. Chapter 5

Lord Cedric walked with the soldiers, with no intention of hurrying to the filthy peasants who sat in the prisons. Fair few ever were placed into them, for actually commiting rebellion. Most dwellers of the prison Cavigor had spent at least five years in their cells, if they had lived so long; it had been a phase, where Prince Phobos had liked to experiment with the civil rats, and had settled on enough food that the prisoner would _survive_. There is a searing pain that comes with starvation that quickly passes, along with the prince's interest. But Cedric had kept the prison running, with a lack of concern from the Prince. Cedric liked this part the best: five years, and everyone was hollow eyed and their muscles depleating. And they were dead inside. The eyes almost seemed blank, and the cells had long since silenced and he knew that when he arrived it would be the same. There was no sadness, in Cavigor. No sorrow. Because everyone was already dead inside. Except the 'Browns'. Soon enough though, and perhaps one day he could give Elyon the same expression.. The thought died though, as he heard bells and stopped his arms with a wave of his hand. This was power. Phobos merely had a fuzzy feeling and a few tricks. "There is something going on in Cavigor."

He smirked as his skin stretched and changed; as his hair grew and lightened; as his eyes bulged and yellowed out. The guards watched his every movement and waited for his signal. And then they roared. This was power.

**...**

"Nice work C." Caleb frowned, as Will smiled to the blonde, who seemed to be faking that she couldn't hear. She was lucky he was a better man, and felt stories of how a woman would be treated boiling up to his throat.. If Will wasn't here he'd- He wouldn't do anything. He was fooling himself, if he'd ever think he could hit her. She was just spoilt. A rotten, spoilt, thankless.. Caleb yanked himself from Cornelia's grasp as soon as she landed him, and she seemed to take the hint.

"Why thank you W.!" It sounded too high to be realistic, but her smile at least didn't stink of the same artificiality that the rest of her did. Maybe it was just her perfume. It was certainly overpowering Blunk, and _that_ was a miracle.

"Blunk have scent!" Blunk had got to 'scent', when Caleb had let his hands shoot out in either direction; pulling the girls close when he saw the creatures.. Scuttlers.. Disgusting, flesh eating bugs, like giant cockroaches that were faster than they looked.. And Cornelia had been starting an obscanity when she obviously saw it too; he didn't know about Will though, who might've seen them, or maybe was just used to it.. Surely she grabbed him just as often. "Show time!"

One of them made a dash, and he felt Will's shriek more than he heard it; a tiny sound, that echoed in this near-black. Cornelia would only have seen because she was close to the light: that was where Caleb had spotted one. And they'd be better in the black, than letting the creatures escape... Scuttlers _didn't _die. Eating was a pastime more than neccessity.. And they'd eat his rebellion. Caleb growled, "Okay, spread out, make a larger target.. Cornelia, _seal_ the hole."

"What? Are you cr-"

"No, he's right, we can't let it get down there.." _It_. He wondered if he should even bother to tell Will _them_. They were in the dark anyway, and Will was surely in the air, and Cornelia crushed the rocks into the hole quietly; blanketing a near blackness into a blinding nothing.

"Fuck!" Caleb swore to himself as one of the swiped past him. They were nothing without their sight - they couldn't smell or hear, but if they found him he'd be dead.. Blunk screached out, and Caleb grabbed when the passling when by, but he could only see a dim pink, and assumed it to be Will. At least she was off ground. "We need to get up to the cell blocks!"

Pink disappeared to blackness, but Cornelia's arms wrapped around him forcefully, and he cursed being forced into close proximity. "I can't believe you didn't tell us there wer-"

"Oh, yeah, _I _put scuttlers up here. Boreíte kleísoun ton skasmó an eísodo sas tha na synechísei na áchristo.."

* * *

><p>Boreíte kleísoun ton skasmó an eísodo sas tha na synechísei na áchristo. - You can shut the fuck up if your input is going to continue being useless.<p>

Well yeah, we all know how much Caleb likes Corny in _my _version ;) ..They'll make friends when she calms down maybe... One day.


	6. Chapter 6

"You alright?" Will felt herself start with surprise, when Caleb instantly began pushing her face from one direction to the other by the chin, as he checked for.. What? Cuts? Bruises? What was the.. Thing.. Capable of? And her face flushed red when she realized what he was doing. No wonder Cornelia was mad. Will knew fine that he'd expect Cornelia to _loudly_ verbalize any injury, but it looked like he just didn't care about her, and Will pushed him away.

"I'm fine Caleb, God, what was it going to do to me? Eat me?"

"From the inside out." Will froze then, at his grim expression, feeling suddenly sick. "If they pricked you, you'll need-"

"Uh, no, it didn't.. _They _didn't touch me.." He seemed satisfied with that, and she smiled through a dreading feeling, but he still frowned before he turned to Cornelia; an entirely less active pursuit. Will guessed he already knew Cornelia was fine, as the blonde frowned menicingly at him. Or them.. He'd been talking to Will all day.. Will felt the red that had been fading from her cheeks rush back.. He'd really, _only_, been talking to Will all day.. And Will hadn't exactly been particularly inclusive.. The blonde had just found out her bestfriend was on a hit-list.. "..Cornelia, you okay?"

Will felt her shoulders droop a little, when Cornelia only barged past Caleb, but was uplifted that she linked arms with Will's own. "_Thank you. _Fine."

**...**

"Uh-oh.." Taranee looked up as Hay Lin's two syllables made her queasy. Oh no.. Oh no, no, no, no, no.. "Cedric!"

Taranee stared up, as she realized that '_Cedric!' _was an understatement. It was an entire brutallion, and they were getting closer by the second... Taranee screwed up her face into a frown, but found her mind going blank as she pray for some sort of inspiration.. Will was insane. That's how she did it. Will Vandom would have to be insane to caope with this, and Taranee wondered if her pumping organ was having a heart attack.. Was it an organ? What the hell was she meant to do? Will hadn't said anything! Caleb hadn't thought of Cedric! Swear words and several thousand new names for the redhead she wasn't really mad at swam through her brain rather than answers, and it was Irma, who finally shouted over her thoughts, "There's too many of them! We've gotta warn Will!"

Taranee flew straight for the opening, and found herself pulling Hay Lin from a wave of arrows in their direction, but she was still arguing with her brain to turn on! Will.. Will.. Taranee's eyes roamed down to the stairway the guards had centered around, and she knew they couldn't go down. They couldn't warn Will. Because the guard would be right behind them.

"That stairway's the only way down!"

"They'll follow us! We're supposed to be luring all the guards here! As a distraction!" Taranee grimaced, as Hay Lin and Irma only verbalized her inner turmoil. WHAT THE HELL WOULD WILL DO? _Will wouldn't need to warn Will, for a start.._ Taranee felt like crying.

**...**

"Nope! ..Nope. ...Nope." Caleb forced a feeble smile, as Will again glanced over her shoulder apologetically. Cornelia was obviously mad about something, and he swore to God if Will had told the blonde that he was interested.. On his own life he'd rather be like Drake, than spend any length of free time with a blonde. Especially this one. "No Browns here."

"Are you sure?" He knew he sounded accusing, but frustration was pitting through him. If he ever thought he'd been agitated by Will, this was ten times worse. Because at least Will usually had a point, or had the guts to shout at him; yell at him - he was sure a need for silence _still_ wouldn't stop the redhead - but Cornelia was just huffy. And he knew for a fact that she didn't have a good reason, as he'd been if a little teasingly polite since he'd got back. He'd actually intended to be friends with her, for God knows what reason his crazy mind did that.. And it was different with Will.. There was something.. Adrenaline-rushed, about fighting with Will, while Cornelia only seemed to be a long simmering wait with a bad, bottled scent.. Blunk shook his head and Caleb sighed.

"Try next floor."

* * *

><p>Sorry, I meant to do 3chaps to make up for my illness, but in my defence, how was I to guess that the computer room would be booked in the library.. I've only got four minutes before they have a meeting on. :(<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Hay Lin was enjoying this; Taranee looked like she'd fallen into a pit of spiders.. And they needed to get downstairs. Fast. "You guys ever been on a water slide?"

"OH I LOVE THOSE!" Irma grinned; not at Hay Lin's shout, but she was sure she'd heard the quiet, good, honest, clever African-American mumbling a rather rude and explicit retort. The girl had better watch out; Will's methods were rubbing off on her faster than Irma'd thought possible, and Irma found herself feeling slightly less irresponsible about her idea.

"How about a really steep, scary one!" Considering the only person that could be considered as a type of authority - Taranee - was apparently deciding to be insane, Irma decided that it was probably the least of Will and Caleb's problems; especially considering their warped relationship issues and deranged literal _'love-hate' _thing, as she created a gigantic tube of water, with a lot of effort and strain.. It was hard work not letting Cornelia get all the light, though she knew for a fact that Cornelia worked harder than she let on.. They all did.

Irma made sure to hold the spinning vortex open, as Hay Lin happily dived in, and Taranee muttered something along the lines of _"Oh no.."_, but once the dark fire guardian had dived after Hay Lin, Irma watched the guards plunge in spears, but steam rose and the spears seemed to manage to burn despite the water, so she relaxed as she slid easily after to meet Hay Lin's chuffed whooping, "That was great!"

"Go ahead!" Taranee still looked nervous, so Irma decided it was time to take charge. Will could thank her later; Irma had already offered (and by offered she meant begged) for control, but Will had been set on Taranee. Look how that had turned out.. Irma knew it wasn't Taranee's fault, but Will was favoritizing.. She knew, because Irma had been Caleb's choice kid, and Irma hated that he was letting _'Mom'_ call the shots, just because he wanted to tap that. "I'll hold them off, and catch up with you later!"

They left then, and Irma knew Taranee hadn't wanted to leave Will and Caleb's sides in the first place, so she took no offense and simply turned, dispatching the water tunnel to wash back any guards that attempted to come down the stairs.

**...**

Cornelia sighed, as Blunk continued sniffing, yawning as she and Will walked on. She knew Will was looking back at Caleb every chance she got, and Cornelia wasn't dense. Will was too nice, and probably felt a need to make up for Cornelia's perfectly practiced hostility. This blonde knew how to get rid of stumbling drunks and drooling losers alike. And she was doing Will a favor - if this redhead knew what was in his head.. Will didn't even seem like the type to have talked to boys before Heatherfield.. "HERE! HERE! BROWNS HERE!"

Blunk started jumping up and down, and Cornelia rolled her eyes as Caleb stepped forward to scale the sides of the cell with his hands: what was he going to do? Lift it up? _Probably.._ She'd never really taken the time until now, to realize that Caleb was boring. He was serious, and he yelled, and his stupid _'forgiveness flower'_ story was just a line.. That was it.. He'd been feeding her lines for months, and he was going after Will because it hadn't worked. Cornelia was not a floozy, and nor was Will.. But Will wasn't used to attention, she was sure..[0] "Oh, just get out the way!"

Cornelia smirked, as she let the wall start moving before Caleb had taken his hand from it, because the idiot had jumped back about three feet. Jeeze, what a hero.. Even Blunk wasn't afraid; the toadish creature had scuttled under the wall as she lifted it, but she frowned as his voice echoed out. "Smell like Browns - no Browns!"

"Mr and Mrs Brown." Will's words had been stuttered and stunned, and Cornelia whirled to see where Will had spotted two smiling, Meridian-green creatures, and Cornelia wondered how Will saw it; these two looked totally out of it, but they looked pretty much like Aldarn to her. They were all rocks and greens and.. Well, that was it. They weren't scary, and she didn't mean offense, but it was like looking at dogs; you can't really tell the difference between two black pugs until they do something.. And these guys were just.. Sitting. Did Will even know the Browns? She'd hardly known Elyon.. "We really have to go. Right now."

"Go?" It was Mrs Brown after all. The voice was the same, and the smile seemed familiar as she stood to clasp one of Will's hands and wave a hand which seemed to be showing off the prison, "But my dear.. It's so beautiful here!"

Something smashed, and Cornelia turned in time to see Blunk sniffing at the broken shards of bowl, and Caleb strode over to Mrs Brown and pushed her lightly away from Will, who let him step between them. "Phobos put something in their food.."

"Guys!" Cornelia rolled her eyes as Taranee and Hay Lin, and- Not Irma, flew down to them. So much for distracting. "Trouble!"

"We're 800 feet underground, in a prison guarded by man-eating cockroaches." And men who behaved like cockroaches. "How could there possibly be trouble?"

The sarcasm was lost on Hay Lin, who only pointed where she'd come from. "Cedric's here, with about a gazillion men!"

"Where's Irma?" Will's eyes had darted over the girls, and Caleb's demeanor changed with startled realization. Jeeze, next it would be Irma. Well, no, she doubted that, or hoped, because Irma seemed to have somehow created a 'guy-love' connection with this one; Irma's only skill.. Being masculine.[1]

"Holding them off.. Y-You found them?"

Cornelia rolled her eyes as Taranee beamed unwittingly at the Browns, but of course Caleb couldn't _not _step in and ruin the moment of the girl being uplifted. "They don't even know they're here! There was a hypno-something in their food!"

* * *

><p>[0] Wow, so much of this. In case we don't recall, Cornelia did try to kiss Caleb. Caleb doesn't really ever speak to Cornelia. The flower was real, and he made up because he knew Will was mad he'd been rude. And Will has Matt <em>and <em>Drake. ;)

[1] Also, she obv doesn't mean it - she's just mad because Caleb likes everyone else, but her... _Becaaauuuse_ she's mad... :L :L


	8. Chapter 8

It's been a while since we've had a chapter of Will and Caleb, so I've sort of twisted this into one. For Tessa who isn't allowed on msn, thus inducing the 'fluff-hunger' of my addiction to produce this.

* * *

><p>"They've got scuttlers on the other floor! Don't even a-" Caleb lost his thought process, when he realized that Will was still staring at the Browns. Cavigor had taken it's toll, and the already looked frail enough to be snapped. Their eyes were wrung with dark bags, but Caleb knew Will would never forgive him if she saw what the other prisoners looked like. He could still see faces if he tried to remember.. He hadn't been there. It wasn't his own memory, and he supposed it must be the prince Phobos'. Eyes that sank back into their sockets and bodies slumped forward for the weight of their own bones.. If any could walk they wouldn't be fast here.. If <em>anyone <em>was left. It wasn't a prison still used for new prisoners, and he knew what Will was thinking, as she stepped forward to give a command he veered her away with his hands holding her face to look at him. Swirly, hurt hazelnut eyes that seemed like they could look into the very soul of a man. But she wouldn't want to look into his soul. Barely a sliver, but Phobos' soul was worse than black. It was the colour of blood. And Caleb didn't know where the blood in his body had come from. That certainly wasn't Phobos and he'd always wondered about the roses. Dead, black roses who's bodies and blood must've gone somewhere. Will wouldn't want to see the prisoners, and it hurt to look at her because last time he'd shouted. Or he'd been mad. He'd spat it. You can't save everyone. "They're already dead, Will. I promise I would, but they can't walk and they're-"

"Hay Lin." She wasn't going to listen to him, and he had an urge to let his palms slide from her jaw to her collar; her shoulders. He wanted to shake her; to make her understand. They were dead. Gone. Whatever would be left in those cells.. It was not people. Not innocent souls, and Phobos really had locked up criminals. He'd locked up liars and cheaters and thieves, and Raydon would have made it in here if he'd raped the girl a few years earlier. Some poor little dead girl. It had to be five or six years ago, that Phobos had been locking up evils. Maybe it was in mockery; maybe he didn't like the competition. But everyone was becoming an evil, and Caleb didn't even want to look at what might stand for a child here. But Will wasn't going to listen, and she was sending Hay Lin of all of them, to open the doors. Skeletons allowed to walk. They needn't be hidden; Phobos had long ago been bored of them. Before Caleb had even been able to think about caring. But he cared about Will and he cared about Hay Lin, and Goddammit, he cared more about Cornelia than making them do this. Don't do this. Don't call the order. He chanted a silent prayer. Don't do this. "Go find whatever will open these cells. Cornelia, go help Irma."

Will had turned then, to open a portal, and he could tell by the dull look she'd given him, exactly what she thought of his opinion on saving people. She didn't believe him, and Caleb stared at Taranee with grim eyes, because it wasn't like Taranee would be on his side. She didn't really talk to him, and he didn't really talk to her. It was just how it had been, but it meant that she was on Will's side despite the anxiety on her face. She did him a favor though, and looked the other way; a silent vouch for him, that she accompanied with walking away and pulling the Browns with her - letting them tell her about a view that wasn't there. "I don't want yo- Hay Lin to see them Will, and you can't save them fast enough. You can't get them out; they can't walk and they're too-"

"We can't leave them!" She looked more like her drop than she did herself, and Caleb knew it was the watery eyes that didn't. Wilhelmina Vandom wouldn't cry for herself, and wouldn't cry for Cornelia, and wouldn't cry because of feeling scared.. But even Caleb would consider crying for the walking dead, if he wasn't as black as Meridian. But she was pure white and they were going to smear their ashes all over her fragile, shivering porcelain, soft skin. Even in her Guardian form. She was just a little girl and these corpses would breath and cry and wail.. And they'd crush her hopes and her soul and if he was damn lucky she hadn't run yet, Caleb knew fine that she'd scarper if she was clever... So he wanted to hide it. Hide her. Everything was hiding something, so couldn't he hide evil from her? He knew it was silly - the Guardian leader he'd asked to help take on Phobos - but couldn't they just run away forever? He was sick of fighting a battle that wasn't really his own. And he was sick of Will following his every step towards hell. And she was just so damned beautiful, that he found his thumb stopping the single tear that managed to wheeze out if her in it's tracks. She was just so damned beautiful. And he should never have smeared his own ashes on her; even his thumb on her cheekbone making an invisible smudge as the tear continued to roll down the round of hid thumb; it made it halfway down his palm before it was too spread to do more than dissolve. And he could feel her watching him watch it. And he could feel the muscles of her face as she choked it again. She already knew he wasn't lying. She just wish he were. The girl who didn't cry's soul being absorbed into his skin. Salty sweet. "We can't just leave them."


	9. Chapter 9

She was pressed against the wall - the water guardian - and Lord Cedric didn't miss the faint rumble as her power searched for a source of water; there wouldn't be enough moisture in this dry air, but she seemed to find it and he saw her face contort with strain before the water's pressure cracked right through the wall. He pushed on though, and by the time he'd made it through the pressure he saw that he'd nearly hit the guardian with his tail. Pesky sprites, the Prince had better not be as fond of the Keeper as he seemed, because Lord Cedric was feeling the slightest agitation.

"Fourth floor down, but they need more time." The blonde gave him his information and he made up for lost distance while she was looking to the water guardian. But as soon as he'd got close enough to cause damage they were already off again, and he roared as he chased down the winding stairs; the Earth guardian had brought a pile-up to block the stairs. Idiots.

"You're only sealing yourselves in!" Cedric snarled as the Royal arms ran behind him at last, "Move these rocks!"

**...**

Will knew she was wrong, and she knew she should have listened to Caleb.. But she couldn't leave these people.. She didn't want to. And it had been a long while, since she'd cried properly, but all of these people, and they were already dead to him. "M-maybe Taranee c-could-"

Call it off. But Hay Lin had found whatever opened the cells, because all of the doors had begun creaking open, and she was glad to find Caleb's hand in hers, but she couldn't breathe. He was right. Nothing had happened, and Will found herself rooted to the stone ground when Caleb tried to pull her forward. Whether he was checking or teaching her a lesson, she highly doubted that she wanted to see what was inside there.. But bodies started crawling out; on two feet, they had taken literal minutes to make it the five foot length of their cells. And Taranee's gaze had searched hers in shock, but Will didn't want to look anymore. There had to be two-hundred cells in this row, and all of seven or eight stumbling racks of bones had bothered to see what was happening.. Or maybe only seven or eight _could_. She found her eyes glued to one in particular though, who didn't look old, and was carrying someone else. And she couldn't even tell if the person in his arms was a person; if they were alive; if the ones walking were alive. And she let him, when Caleb slid his hand over her eyes. "I'm sorry Will."

"I'm sorry Caleb." And it was happening again; she could feel her lip quivering and her nose was threatening to run, and her eyes were stinging, because why the hell couldn't she listen to Caleb. Why the hell did she have to do this; to cause a need for his hand over her eyes. As if she might forget. And Caleb had tried to warn her, and he'd tried to protect her and she wish she'd listened. "I'm really, really sorry."

And Hay Lin was alone, and Taranee was alone, and Irma and Cornelia wouldn't even know what to do, because Will didn't even know what to do. And she'd opened the doors but she knew she couldn't take them.. They might not even make it through to Earth, and she couldn't really deal with hiding this on Earth.. The walking corpses that were somehow worse than the Trance-marchers. Because these people were alive - so she just stood still, and let Caleb cover her eyes, and let his arm slide around and pull her to his chest. But she didn't deserve his comfort. She didn't deserve his warm lips planting on her head like a child with a nightmare.. "Taranee, we need to find anyone we can. We need to get them here okay?"

And of course Caleb was going to save them all. To manage what Will couldn't. And she was glad she could let him fix it; glad he would.


	10. Chapter 10

A really sad chapter.. Because the cartoon made 'prison' seem like a haven - no one was sick, and no one was even thin. I always thought they shoulda made it for teens rather than kids (though nowadays kids are watching SAW, so idk why a little sadness is bad)

* * *

><p>"Everybody this way. We don't have much time." Caleb frowned as the few people who'd managed to stumble from their cells only stared at him with bleak; unconcerned eyes. None of them would know what year it was, or who he was, and he doubted they'd live long even if he managed to get them out. But he couldn't just leave them. Will was wrong, but he didn't care. He'd rather die than see her cry again, and that's how he'd left her, on the verge of tears. "We are going to save you."<p>

Blue eyes stared up at him; a man not in his forties, but wrinkles cloaked his body because nearly everything inside him had deteriorated. Caleb wondered if the man had dragged himself from his cell, because this man surely didn't look like he could walk, and Caleb thought of Will as he picked the basically dead man up. He'd never allowed himself to look; not until he was safely behind closed doors from any audience; not until there had been no Julian; no Aketon; he hadn't looked back into the dark Prince's mind, because no one had ever been people. Everyone was an enemy or an allie. But Will only saw people. No allies. No enemies. Everyone was the same. And now he was too tempted to please her not to clean up her mess and she'd never live on the battlefield. She'd kill herself first.

"I said: WE ARE GOING TO SAVE YOU!" He'd never been good with discarding temptations.

**...**

"Everybody, there is a portal to safety, just one floor up! Help anyone who needs it!" Taranee frowned at her own words. They didn't even look like they believed her, though Caleb's words had echoed down around the walls of this nightmare. Everybody here needed help, and Taranee wasn't stupid. She'd seen the look on Will's face, and she'd hated the grim one on Caleb's. Because they weren't going to make it this time.

She looked, as the few men who could walk, seemed to be leaning together, and she half expected them to turn to dust where they stood. Half of them weren't even distinguishable; they all looked the same. No fat, no muscle, thinning hair, sad, slightly bulging eyes and no hope.

And there was a child. She couldn't believe her eyes. A baby that couldn't be more than three or four.. People had been living here. They'd been _living_ in a prison. How long had they been here? Years? Two? Ten?

The mother held the little kid close - Taranee couldn't even tell whether it was a boy or a girl until she stepped forward. The child; nude, was a girl after all.. With green triangles of skin on her face, and big eyes that matched a head that seemed too big for her body..

Taranee held her arms out, "Here, you can lean on me and I'll-"

But the mother held the child close and backed towards the cell, and Taranee felt her throat go dry. They'd rather stay, than trust her. So little faith in good ran through these spirits; only a fraction of the standing few were actually walking in the direction she'd pointed.

"Please, if you just listen! Please!"

**...**

"C'mon, go! Go! Faster!" Hay Lin pushed the back of a woman, but her hand shrank away when she felt bone. She didn't know it would be like this, and she'd never really thought that people could be so..

And she jumped away; wounded, by the idea that she'd caused a man further ahead to fall to the ground, because she was pushing them too fast, and she felt tears pricking her eyes. One of the men had just looked at her. She'd told him he was saved and he'd just stared, without anything, and then he'd put a cross on her collar and he'd walked back to his cell.

_Efcharistoúme_. He'd breathed it and left her; he'd gone back to die. Didn't he understand? They were going to save him! THey were going to save everyone! "C'mon! We have to go!"


	11. Chapter 11

And then the small, deadly slow inching stopped, and Hay Lin looked up fearfully, as a woman stared back at her with grim eyes; grimmer than before. "What's wrong? Why have you stopped?"

"Vythistís ploíou."

"What? Plee-oh what?" The woman's eyes were numb, and falling into her sockets, and Hay Lin tried to ignore that, as she wish that Caleb was here. She just wanted to go home.. Hay Lin pushed herself off of the ground forcefully, and knew what the woman meant without a doubt. Like giant roaches. And she felt her heart beat increasing and she wanted to go home, and Caleb wasn't even in charge of her; it was, "TARANEE!"

**...**

Cornelia had gone back; she'd blocked more of the stairs, when she'd seen what was happening away from where she and Irma were.. She'd heard Will give Hay Lin the order, and had left when recieving her own, but she was trying not to look, as a humble crowd of people inched into the blue portal. And she hated that it reflected; it made their green skin blue, and their pink skin blue, and everybody looked dead, and Will was just sitting there; hugging her knees, with tears staining her cheeks as she watched. She looked nearly as dead as they did. "We've blocked the stairs, but it wont hold for long; Cedric- GET OFF OF HER!"

Caleb flinched back, and Will's dull brown eyes had blinked away from the marching dead. But Cornelia didn't regret that she'd sounded apalled. And she didn't drop her gaze, as Caleb stepped forward, "Gaea-"

"Don't you call me that. And don't you touch her!" Cornelia shook off Irma's restricting hand as she stepped forward with defiance. "Don't even talk to her! Don't even look at her! You slimy, roach-infested.."

"Cornelia, don't talk to him like that." Cornelia trailed off, and a finger that had reached up to poke his chest fell, and Cornelia frowned as she turned to Irma.

"He's trying it on with Will! He was saying.. And he.. He.." The words had disappeared, because Will's shoulders had shifted a little, but she'd just turned back to the prisoners, not much fewer than when she'd last been looking at them. And she realized that Will wasn't doing anything. She wasn't even going to try to help them. "What did you do to her?"

"I-" Caleb had faltered then, and Cornelia could only glare. The leech couldn't even lie. He just gave her a serious look and turned away; _'helping'_. He'd been _'helping'_ Will too, and now she knew what he'd meant when he'd said Meridian boys weren't looking for _kisses. _He was disgusting.

**...**

Lord Cedric had smirked, when he'd heard the shriek of the name of the fire guardian. And he grinned when the wall of rock finally crumbled to an opening. But growled when he saw another wall, and charged forward. He'd do this one himself.

**...**

Will was counting steps -if that was what the feeble movements could be called- Irma could see it in the way that her eyes flashed over their feet. Or maybe she was just avoiding their eyes.

And now _he_ couldn't go near her. Because Cornelia had said things that Irma was sure weren't true, and mixed them with things that by his eyes, _were_, and Caleb only kept his eyes on Will from a distance. And Irma, for once knew that he wasn't just glued to her because he thought she was pretty. Her eyes had dried up; her cheeks attempting to follow the trend, but Irma didn't want to know what had happened here. She'd seen shock, and Will's lips were quivering in a way that made Irma feel a burn in her lungs, because it _could _get worse. Lord Cedric would be coming soon. "Will?"

"Just leave her alone." Irma glowered, as Cornelia shot a retort. Apparently one of her friends was due to be murdered, so Cornelia was shining up Will as her newest companion. Irma knew the type. Cornelia liked girls that weren't as pretty as her, and she liked them to have nothing. No, that wasn't true - Cornelia had always had to hand-pick, exactly what Elyon was allowed, and Irma wasn't prepared for Will to be prodded and molded to fit Cornelia's wishlist.

So she pushed her chest into the blonde's and knew that the threatening glare had shocked the blonde. She hoped her hissed words would be heard. "You, leave her alone."


	12. Chapter 12

Taranee had left her station the very second that she'd heard the cry of her name. And if Hay Lin had sounded terrified, the girl looked like she might cry, when the African-American had found her. Giant, buggy creatures, with hard shells didn't even seem to flinch by the wind that Hay Lin desperately blew at them. It must have been a trap - once every cell was opened, these monsters were released. "Hay Lin, the people!"

But Hay Lin was lost to the world; trapped in her action, she continued to desperately direct the winds, and Taranee wondered if the icy tone to it was a reflection of her fear. And Taranee knew that Will wasn't going to help them, and Caleb was taking charge but he couldn't help anyway, so the fire guardian stepped forward, and called upon her element.

Fire. Flames licked off of their solid backs, and didn't leave even a sooty trail in it's path, because these beasts seemed to be invincible. The inviolable bugs only slowed at her flame, and Taranee took the second to pull Hay Lin away; the girl waking from her trance. "Hay Lin, we need to get these people-"

"Taranee! They wont- I can't-" Hay Lin was verging on hysterics, and Taranee wouldn't be a fool to know that Caleb had coddled her. He'd been keeping Will and Hay Lin wrapped up in cosy blankets, and if he'd cared any, he wouldn't have left them to break like this. "They aren't even scared! They wont-"

"HAY LIN!" There were more down here. More people that were willing to leave, and still held that breath of hope. But one of them had been burned, and she hadn't even seen them, and the rest were looking at the poor woman who didn't even seem to react to the pain. They didn't even care that she was hurt. At least upstairs they had seemed to hold each other up; to recognise one another as human beings. These people had to have been the first put in; or maybe the last depending on whether Phobos had dug up or down, but either way they were the worst. Because their morality appeared to have been numbed, and Taranee felt her heart beating faster. They had to get up the stairs. Fast. "MOVE!"

But they only stared. Like they didn't care that they were going to die. They didn't care about life. They didn't want life.

"I SAID MOVE!"

**...**

"C'mon, Will! We gotta go!" Will found herself interrupted from the beating that she was sure were footsteps. She was forced to stare at Irma with dull eyes, and she didn't even bother; to try to tell her. There was no point. Her bones would turn to dust if she stood on them; slowly disintegrating into a chalky mass with every step she took. A dismal moan she felt, she was sure, was coming from her stomach; an itch, but not a real hunger. Hadn't she eaten before they left? She wouldn't eat again, either way. She'd never eat again, and she'd never open her mouth if she could help it, because even breathing through her nose, was sending a stinging pain over the crumbling inner walls of her throat. Dry; like a desert. She couldn't feel her hands, either, and she'd felt them slowly numbing as she grasped around her knees. It didn't matter though; she'd never freeze. She'd only be cold forever. "Will! We need to find Hay Lin! Taranee!"

Cornelia, at least, had stopped bothering her when the blonde had become anxious to leave, and Will was sure _the blonde _had already gone in search of her girls. But they might as well just die. Will's legs, were numbing over; just slightly, as if her body was attempting to reject this pain; thisfeeling as though her joints had been brazed and fastened in their place. An ache in her lungs appeared to have been deflated: it wasn't that there wasn't room for more air, but she couldn't seem to swallow -she didn't want to swallow- more than a shallow breath, that probably drank in more dust than oxygen. And it hurt.

"Kopéla sas den prókeitai na perpatísei páli."

Things shifted; people moved, and a faster pace. It was Caleb then, who's earnest expression wobbled a little in front of her; looking at her rather than to.. But he hadn't said the words, because those words had been strained; nearly blown away by the wind as a desperate wheeze. And Will found herself mimicking the sound, though somehow she sounded much more vocal, in a whimper as she pressed her shaking bones, seeking him.

She didn't want to complain, despite the breaking of her body as he hooked his arms around her back; under her resistant knees. And she begged for her body to comply to his wishes, as it did. She didn't want him to let gom and she wanted to get rid of the bile and feeling of selfishness, that he was carrying _her_. She knew, too, that people would be staring in jealousy, because it was how she'd felt, when he'd carried past her a man who's legs were ashes inside. Because she wanted to be there; here, where she was now. He was warm. And he smelt like dirt and something that could only be described as Caleb; he smelt safe, and comforting, and no matter how close he was to her, Will clawed with fumbling limbs; to push herself closer. "What's wrong with her? Why wont she move?"

"Sygnómi. Eímai tóso polý sygnómi." Sorry. She didn't know how she knew, but salt water felt hot and sticky as it burned out her eyes, and reminded her of how cold her cheeks were. I'm so very sorry. She understood, somehow, exactly what he was saying, and maybe it was because she was one of them now. And they were criminals, too; sentenced for crimes that they might've been killed for by the queen, and Will didn't like it, as thoughts blurred through her head and Caleb's warm breath was no longer as comforting; now that he'd pressed his lips on her head again, and she could feel the heat of his strong breathing over her hair and scalp, and only wanted to be able to breathe like that: just one breath. She swore. It would last her forever. But she hated it, because he was breathing for her; apologising to her her own faults. She had done this. And now she was going to die.

* * *

><p>Kopéla sas den prókeitai na perpatísei páli. - Your girl isn't going to walk again.<p>

Sygnómi. Eímai tóso polý sygnómi. - Sorry. I'm so sorry.

Ah yes, well Will is empathic with animals in the comics, and I always thought that it really ought to stretch to humans; at least whilst her powers are a little off.. Thanks TTigerz though, for possibly spoiling it for anyone who reads the reveiws :L :L


	13. Chapter 13

Taranee was yelling. It was echoing, and Cornelia had quickly spotted the girl's bare accomplishment. They hadn't even made it to the third floor yet. It was then, that Cornelia frowned; concentration became her, and she'd stood on solid ground. Because it took the life out of her. Her back naturally arched in strain, as Cornelia manipulated the floor; the stone cracked around the group, and Taranee had cried something of her name. "Cornelia! We need to help them! They won-"

It wasn't enough. She knew that she could do it; she had done it before. She needed to pull the ground up beneath them. She could get them up. She could take them up; the portal was five floors higher than this. she could do it. She hoped. "EARTH!"

Cornelia's hands pulsated with energy, and it didn't feel quite as good as last time.. But last time she'd been saving people who had a chance. These people; Meridians; they weren't like Aldarn. They weren't like Aketon. She'd been walking, for a few, quiet minutes, and she'd passed a spider. She hadn't even realized what it was, until she'd been beckoned into the cell. This gigantic black hairy tangle. It was dead though. And it seemed to be the only one; the only thing that wasn't a man, and maybe it was what passed as a bug here. Maybe it had crawled in unknowingly. When the stone finally detached from the floor, Cornelia stopped breathing entirely. Someone had nearly fallen off.

"Taranee, I need you to keep them on there!" She glanced for the girl then, and only when she flew up, did Cornelia realize that Hay Lin was there too. They were going to do this. Cornelia blocked out how much these prisoners reminded her of Will. Not Will; the Will she had left _today_ was not her friend. She was like a prisoner.

**...**

Caleb pulled Will in, but flinched looser when she murmured a noise he couldn't understand; he didn't know what she wanted. She was shaking; she wasn't cold, but he knew she thought she was. He'd been so stupid, that he'd read all of those books. But he'd ignored everything in the end. He'd thought they were stupid; stories made up, and barely based upon these girls he knew. But she could feel it. She was turning into them, as far as she could feel, and he'd bypassed the notes with skeptical eyes. Will was feeling _them_. And as he stared after the man who'd had the kindness to point to her, he found himself pulling her closer again. Not that she wasn't already trying to achieve that closeness; not that she wasn't already pressed as close as she could already be.

He jumped; his arm under her knees had crushed her slightly, and he felt bleak apologies on the tip of his tongue as tears rolled down her eyes. Several people had fallen as well, when the ground had shaken. And new stone had crushed into this floor, and new passengers to planet Earth had tumbled toward the portal. Nobody had screamed though, as Cornelia flew after them, and the rock they'd just stepped off of fell into the chasm that ran down the center of the prison. Cornelia, and Taranee, and Hay Lin was shaking. "Cornelia, we need to-"

But Cornelia only stared at him with a grim anger that he'd not listened, and he knew there was a nearly weightless guilt in his arms.. Eighty-five pound of guilt. And he didn't want to let go. He didn't ever want to let go. It was his fault for making her in control; for playing silly games on the job, and for wanting to make her smile. He was making it a game. And now she'd lost, and now he'd lost by default. Because he'd broken the prized reason for playing. And she was crying so much. He didn't want anyone else to hurt her, and he knew he'd learned his lesson; he wouldn't do it again.

"She wont walk." He felt his own breaths ragging, and his heart was beating faster; he wondered if she knew that she could do that - just the thought of putting her down was making him feel rigid in the limbs; making his blood pump faster, and his eyes were burning with defiant rage. Cornelia was going to make him put her down..

Instict, more than anything else, took over then. He pushed the body of a young woman into the arms of someone who thought she_ was_ a woman. Cornelia had stuttered a look of shock, when he left Will in her arms, and he hoped she realized that he'd leave her here to rot if she dropped her. And he stopped himself from taking her back, by picking up one of the fallen prisoners. At least Will might see it as heroic. Cornelia scrambled forward, and he bit down words of being careful. Will didn't tend to appreciate undermining. "Caleb! Are you just going to leave me here?"

..."Yes."


	14. Chapter 14

Okay, well some of this next bit is a bit racist, but just to make sure we all know.. I love Hay Lin. Don't confuse that Cedric is the bad guy here. And Cornelia is always meant to seem badass in the cartoon, but I figured a bit of redemption might be more promising..? :)

* * *

><p>Lord Cedric walked; closer to the guardians. Closer to Caleb. He'd transformed long ago; as soon as he'd knocked out the boulders. There was something that needed championing, about doing this in his <em>rudemental <em>body. After all, a snake is far more noticable.. "Stamatíste, Thélo na na tin afísei perásei."

Lord Cedric could hear the voice of a murmurer echoing through the walls.. He was close. He could hear a few feeble footsteps, but he knew that at least half of the prison was still full. Men stood in their cells, with a look of expectancy, when Cedric walked past. They hadn't believed they were going to be saved. A woman's sniffles were something Cedric had grown fond of, and he smirked at the sad words and the hushing of another. "I just- Did- What- Will- S-said, and n-now-"

The air guardian had always struck him as the youngest. A coward. But she was far too positive, to be pretty in the least. A wedge of cold, yellowing meat. The one thing he _did _hear, that was of slight annoyance; a buzz. A portal had opened.

**...**

"My, _Guardians_!" Cornelia's eyes darted up, as a tall man walked leisurely around the corner; silent, other than his voice, and his slow, purposeful claps. Cedric. She struggled to pull Will closer when his eyes had flashed over her, and and smirk had crossed the man's face. And she didn't let her stubborn look falter, as Caleb's had long ago, when he stopped and gave Caleb a smile. "Caleb."

Will was crying. Silent sniffs made her entire body shake, and Cornelia tried to ignore it, as Irma and Taranee stepped forward; their hands summoning their powers. But Cornelia pulled Will a little closer, and looked at his feet. At the ground. Caleb hadn't moved from his petrification, and Hay Lin had started to sniffle without tears before the snake had come out. Cornelia stared at the ground.

**...**

Lord Cedric only wondered, what she was thinking, when the Earth Guardian's perfect face became like stone. She couldn't even look into his eyes. But he knew that she was the strongest warrior when he began to transform.. And the floor caved under his forming tail.

**...**

Drake had seen Will, before they had left. He had seen Cornelia struggling to carry her and he had seen Caleb watching their every move; close enough to catch her if she was dropped.. Will. But he truly did, feel awful for her, whatever ailment she had secured herself with. But the rebellion weren't particularly ready, for the bulk of men that Caleb brought. Prisoners of Cavigor. Caleb was going soft, and the only guilt he felt for thinking that.. Was because he'd searched every face for one he knew before he'd decided on the thought. But his parents hadn't been criminals anyway. And he didn't know what they looked like. He didn't have a single image of them in his memory. He'd looked anyway. And then he'd concluded Caleb had gone soft, because he'd have done this because he had somebody. Somebody sick.

But the rebellion didn't have the luxuries to feed men who'd be dead by tomorrow. Next week. In two months.. Everyone might as well stop eating. [0]

* * *

><p>Stamatíste, Thélo na na tin afísei perásei - Stop, I need you to let her go through<p>

[0] Drake is reflecting on the fact that Elyon is due to be dead by the new year, and that in 2 months they are going to war. Basically he thinks everyone is going to die, so why should they bother eating.


	15. Chapter 15

It had taken all of three seconds, after the second portal had been closed; and Will had returned to leaning on Cornelia, before the blonde had taken him on again. And Caleb didn't have anything to say to defend himself: his eyes were on Will. "...He's been flirting with her all day, and I know a slimeball when I see one, and-"

"And you're just jealous anyway!"

"He's sick! He just wants to snatch any girl, and you'd better watch out if you're next! I'm not going to-"

"Next? Are you kidding! He isn't planning to run through the list via nickname! What? Then Taranee, and then finally you'll get your-"

"_Cornelia.._" Caleb's eyes flashed up, when Hay Lin's small voice had sound horrified. Right after a _snap_. A slap. And Irma was silent and speechless; only grazing the back of her fingers against her cheek in a slow movement of shock. Will had slapped him once. And she had kicked him and punched him. He didn't know the rules on hitting girls.. In Meridian, any man would.. Well, not Aketon, and Aketon didn't let Drake or Aldarn do it if a woman was disrespectful. And Julian didn't even slap Caleb, so he couldn't imagine him hitting a woman. He couldn't imagine Julian with a wife though.

"Don't you see that you're protecting him? He's a-"

"Cornelia Hale. Don't you touch her again." His eyes had only left her for minutes; seconds. And Caleb found himself in silence as Will stood on shakey feet. "_You_, are a spiteful, jealous, conniving bitch and _you _are just sorry, because he's a fucking angel and because you can't see when someone is being nice, for being flirtatious. You are rude, and impatient, and, and- OH GOD I JUST WANT TO WRING YOUR STUPID PRETTY LITTLE NECK! IF YOU _DARE, DARE _TOUCH HER AGAIN.."

Caleb knew that he was supposed to be in awe, and part of him was, because Will was shaking; her entire frame looked like it might fall apart where she stood, because suddenly she wasn't scared anymore. She wasn't _dead_ anymore. She was pissed off, and she looked like she might rip Cornelia's head off when she stormed out of the room. It hadn't been _like_, when she'd screamed at him. It had been disgusted, and hurt, and it made him feel sad and glad for her at the same time. But there was something, that made him banish the idea that she was quite as perfect as he'd thought her to be. There was something that made him stand and walk, and call out after her, but she was gone. "What did you mean _Angel_?"

He was no Angel. And he'd been playing a game with fate. He was fooling himself, by thinking that Will might want him. But he was fooling her, into thinking he might actually have a right to her.

Taranee had stood up after that, and gave him a look as she left. Taranee knew, and that was why they weren't close. Somehow, Taranee had always known; maybe she was just smarter than him. After all. He'd forgotten.

He was dust. That was what anyone might pay for Phobos' soul. In fact, they'd pay him to keep the soul; they'd probably give him their own.

**...**

Will fumbled, with her fingers as the sensation in them returned. The night's air carressed her throat like silk. People were still dying in there. People were still trapped. But she pushed it all down, as Taranee walked out of the Silver Dragon, and she pushed down a little disappointment, because she was hoping for something warmer, when she'd sat on the wall and let her legs dangle down. But she was the one who's yelled. "Taranee. I'm sor-"

"You're good at what you do Will." Will snorted at that; Taranee had turned and walked along to the building next to the Dragon - the inside's lights were always out - and the girl had sat down next to her. But Taranee looked serious, when Will had laughed. "You're really good at what you do."

"I make a mess, that's what I do." Taranee had even laughed at that, and silence had followed.. And in long stretched minutes, Will thought of things she wasn't really sure about.. "..Taranee.. Have you ever liked a guy that you-"

"Don't do it Will." And any hope in Will deflated, because she knew Taranee was right. Will was no match for Caleb, and he had fixed everything for her. She didn't deserve to even have such a friend. "He doesn't deserve you."

Will smiled at that; she forced a smile, because Taranee had been so close. She didn't deserve him.


	16. Chapter 16

"This is all your fault." In all her years, Irma Lair had never seen Cornelia Hale as a threat. It wasn't so much that she did now, either, and the pulse that was exuding over the skin of her scarlet-sored cheek did nothing to create any fear. It did however, give a new perspective, because Irma had always called Cornelia a friend, and it was more a literal sense than a personal. Cornelia was a good person. Or she had been, and as many things as Cornelia did wrong, or how many people Cornelia had twisted to fit into her life, Irma had always assumed that it was that person's fault for letting her. But Caleb wouldn't do that. So it made it clearer, as Cornelia Hale fashioned exactly what she wanted out of him, that maybe she wasn't such a good person. Cornelia was a bully. "I know I'm not wrong, and I see what you're doing."

She was hissing the words, with venom, and Irma had seen the girl use the same tone, when warding off Uriah. But Caleb _did _like Will, and Irma knew he could easily just say it. But he looked terrified. And it wasn't Cornelia or her stupid endless threats. "Cornelia, you don'-"

Caleb didn't have a reason to be scared; not in the paled, realization that his expression had taken, and at any other occassion, she might have laughed. Empty threats and a rebel leader who looked anxious enough to throw up. Or faint. "Don't you tell _me_ what I do and I don't! I _do _care about Will, and I _don't _want some slob drooling all over her!"

Irma closed the door at this point; slammed it. She'd been hanging in for the last thirty seconds, with her hands over Hay Lin's ears, because she knew that _Caleb_, above Hay Lin's father, would never forgive that he'd been swearing in front of her. But the fight had died quickly in him, and it was Cornelia's turn to yell while he listened. If it weren't for Will's sake, Irma'd like to have taken another method, and she knew fine that in _'brute'_, she'd easily take the blonde. But Will would yell, and Caleb would yell, and Cornelia would somehow end this without having a single scratch on her perfect, shining reputation. Not. This. Time. "C'mon Hay Lin, she's just jealous anyway."

"Yeah.." Hay Lin didn't really know what she was talking about; Irma could tell from the way the girl dragged the word and looked down at her shoes. But Caleb really didn't need gossip turning into scandal right now, and she was actually surprised Hay Lin hadn't heard. "..Caleb does talk to Will alot now.. But she's the leader."

Irma smiled at this ideal reason behind Caleb talking to Will; a smile that quickly fell when something came worse than the yelling.

**...**

Silence. There was silence, as Lord Cedric bowed before him. Phobos had found himself trapped in thought, for several long seconds, and then the silence had been accompanied by a smile, as the news of the Guardian's latest endeavor unfolded in his mind. And last came a chuckle, something he hadn't often done since Elyon came, but he'd found that the redhead had a power after all.

Prince Phobos was no idiot. He knew of empathy. He knew that humans had tried to adopt the trait; telling one another that they knew how the other felt. But only a fair few in the Universe, such as apparently this current Guardian Keeper, could honestly know. She was empathic. He wondered how she'd felt in the roses; though, she probably was growing, and only now would she feel that they were dead. Or maybe that was why she'd been unconcious. The feeling of the dead. And now she could add the feeling of the prisoners of Cavigor to her day-diary. And maybe she could read of them in his.[0] He was no idiot, after all. "Free them."

"My Prince?" Prince Phobos had only had a brief interlude, with the prison of Cavigor; a short romance, of enjoying their pain. They were all criminals, and he'd left this Lord Cedric the prisoners when he was done. It was quite interesting, that Cedric liked it there -and Phobos knew he did- because Cedric really ought to be locked with them. Pedophilia was not a particularly Royal crime. Not the most regal of them. It was interesting, that Lord Cedric could sneer at himself in those bars.

Prince Phobos had truly felt numb when he had realized he _was_ them. For enjoying their suffering. So Prince Phobos had stopped visiting long ago, and he let Cedric go instead. But Lord Cedric had yet to see the moral of the story; that he himself would become numb like them. Phobos felt it, and it was too late to cure himself of the ailment, although he intended to banish it when he'd ascended. He was doing the Gods' bidding. And they would reward him. But temptation always took the form of _Red_.[1] "Phobos.."

He'd heard the little metamorphose whisper. He knew that she was eavesdropping before Cedric had begun recounting. He'd made sure Cedric wasn't careless with words. And Lord Cedric hadn't heard the whisper, coming from the corner out of sight. He'd already had her things taken to a new room. She just had to ask him, to recieve the _key_. And he smiled, as Cedric silently sought a different command. "Free Cavigor."

He hoped Miranda knew better than to smile as Cedric stormed from the room. Even in her secluded shadows.

**...**

"Would you just like me not to talk to her ever again?" Caleb didn't sound sarcastic, but she knew he couldn't be serious. Cornelia _knew _Caleb, and he was not the type to take anything any one of them said literally. Except maybe Will.

And the anger had calmed to a slight embarrassment, on her side as much as his. Because he'd apologised. For _whatever she thought he'd done wrong_. And now she was left in the quiet, not wanting to have to apologise. For thinking he'd done it. And Cornelia quirked her lips in an awkward motion to speak. "Of course I don't mean that, don't be stupid."

She had two choices. She could apologise now, and go upstairs to hug Irma and pray that the red burn of her hands didn't sting. And pray that Will would look at her again.

Or she could hope that Caleb would slip; somewhere down the line, and make everything she'd accused of him true. "Just don't make a mistake again."

Sometimes _'sorry'_ went missing from her vocabulary.

* * *

><p>[0] He's pointing out that he knows that she has it. And maybe he knows she has the Seal... O.o<p>

[1] Please, please, please tell me you realize that a certain someone is making him do things he wouldn't usually do; asking him to do them. Someone like a red rose? ;)


	17. Chapter 17

Yeah, well in the last chapter, I gave Phobos' veiw of Miranda, and I'm _hoping_ that it came off as a brotherly vibe.. I know this vibe in the next section wont be particularly sisterly if I've written it right ;) (not that bad - it's pretty much neutral till the end sentence of her part).

* * *

><p>It must have been a ridiculous time, when Miranda walked past her in quick, flustered steps; taking the time to smile at her. And Elyon had frowned, when she looked back on the girl who'd gone back to staring down to where her stomach might be. Elyon had been to the girl's room earlier: where usually hung dresses, the wardrobe hung bare. Elyon didn't see a point in giving the girl her privacy - the nicest things this girl owned had almost definitly been given to her to the Prince. And Elyon hadn't been looking at the smile Miranda had sent in her direction. Her dull, grey eyes had been on the shiny golden key in her hands; a thick, old key with something that looked like a ruby in it's head. "Pho-"<p>

Elyon stopped, where she stood, as she watched the scene as it played out. Prince Phobos' hand was on the map, and he'd barely touched a building's image; it had disappeared. But she found herself glued to Will Vandom's face in the sands, which he'd dispersed when he was done. The girl hadn't ever been much of a thing; she looked younger than Elyon really; twelve as well, maybe, seen as her birthday was in January, whilst Elyon's lay on the dead of Halloween. But the fourteen year old girl was falling asleep on a couch, with the television changing channels to it's own accord as her head literally lulled.

And Elyon figured that she really ought to be in bed at this time, so she hurried silently to bed; not caring if the Prince turned around and saw her; only caring that he might be busy thinking of someone else.

**...**

Will Vandom threw up when she got home, and she felt a lot better. The ideas of the prison seemed to fade away, as she thought of the rebel leader, who'd found his way into her mind so that she could recognise his image swirling into the black behind her eylids each time she closed them for more than a second. It wasn't _like _Matt Olsen, and she was sure that Irma would be the first to point out that it's about being _with _the guy. But Caleb even made her laugh when he wasn't there. Or maybe hysteria was sinking in. ..._"Will?"_

_Will's brown eyes shot up, as Caleb stepped forward, and she suddenly felt terribly awkward for being in his room without a reason. In fact, she was sure she'd meant to go home.. Or had gone home.. She couldn't recall, but there was a faint trill of voices and bustling clatters from the restuarant upstairs, and she decided at that moment that she didn't much want to go home anyway. "Hey, Caleb."_

_"I couldn't save them Will." Will stepped forward, at this point, because he didn't sound particularly enthused, but as she stepped forward she realized that that wasn't it. He was just sad. And Will swallowed as swollen pink, and ivy green contrasted each other. And he sniffed as she let him watch her. He did that. And she had to admit she liked watching him do it. And she smiled as she wondered if he was watching her watch him, because only someone like Caleb could push her into such a paradox. And she didn't even mind the idea of being trapped there. Forever. "I couldn't save them."_

_She knew she'd been wrong when she'd thought they were dead to him. The prisoners. He didn't want to save them, because they were very much alive and they would only be a burden, and he had to make decisions like that. And yet he'd tried anyway, just for her. And Will wish she weren't smiling; he'd think of her a great fool to see her smiling as he breathed wobbly gasps of hot air; trying to discipline his feature to calm. Back to serious face. "Thank you."_

_Will found that her wish came true; the smile fell a little when he snickered at that. Like she had made a joke. And she frowned in a confused state of wondering if one boy could really expect himself to be able to do this; to save thousands in one night._

_"Caleb, I'm serio-" She hadn't bothered to finish, as he ignored the rules of their height and arched his back over, so that he could rest the top of his head on her chest - a horrible flat thing he'd probably mistaken as a wall.. But she knew he hadn't. Because she grinned when her name had been said in a bleak voice that was muffled, and his hands had already slid the length up and down of her back, before his arms decided to wrap around what was meant to be a waist. And he'd said something else, but she couldn't quite hear the words, and found her fingers pushing in to comb through his hair; something she discovered to be a lot thicker than it looked, and it was scratchy, rather than soft as it looked. "Sorry, I can't understand when you speak to me like this."_

_"I said 'You're too short.'." A laugh, involuntarily, fell from her mouth, before he rearranged himself to rest a chin on her shoulder. She knew fine well that she was still too short. "You know, you're rubbish."_

_"**I'm** rubbish?" Will grinned, but forced the words to sound far more offended than she felt as he pulled her closer and she found that his hair was in too awkward an angle to keep brushing through.. It was knotty anyway. So Will stretched her arms out over his wide shoulders, before they fell into place around his neck. "I hope that that's a joke, reb_-"

...Will breathed heavily, and pulled a blanket that had apparently fallen, tight around her shoulders. She was still on the sofa, and the television was still on, and it had gotten dark whilst she was asleep. Her mother would be home, by now, and Will reached a timid hand to her lips.

* * *

><p>I figured, Will is starting to fancy him back, and Caleb dreams have ceased.. Why shouldn't Will have a dream ;)<p>

Sadly though, this may be it; I'll try to write a chapter up, but I've not got much time... Don't expect much as Caleb's Challenge may start tomorrow.


End file.
